# mastic (*Pistacia lentiscus*) Mastic is a small shrub that grows in warm places. It has shiny green leaves and produces a special resin that people use for chewing gum and flavoring food! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![mastic](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/6546216/medium.jpg) Photo: anonymous, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/6546216) ## Appearance The mastic is an evergreen shrub or small tree with glossy, leathery, dark green leaves. It produces tiny, reddish-green flowers followed by small, round berries that ripen from bright red to black, often appearing in clusters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Sapindales - **Family:** Anacardiaceae - **Genus:** Pistacia ## Interesting facts - Its name "mastic" comes from a Greek word meaning "to chew." - Mastic resin was chewed as ancient breath mint and gum over 2,400 years ago! - Only one Greek island, Chios, traditionally produces nearly all the world's mastic gum. - This special tree's resin is even used to make sweet liqueurs and delicious ice cream! ## Special abilities - **Drought Warrior:** Mastic has tough, leathery leaves that help it conserve water, allowing it to thrive in dry, arid environments. - **Healing Sap:** The mastic can release a special resin (mastic gum) that helps heal its wounds and protects against pests. - **Evergreen Shield:** Its evergreen leaves allow the mastic to photosynthesize year-round, giving it a growth advantage. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-500 cm - **Spread:** 100-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Its berries provide a vital food source. - **Eaten by:** [Blackcap](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blackcap) (*Sylvia atricapilla*) — Feasts on the ripened red berries. - **Eaten by:** [Wild Goat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wild-goat) (*Capra aegagrus*) — Browses on its resilient leaves and shoots. - **Shelter:** [Common Wall Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-wall-lizard) (*Podarcis muralis*) — Provides hiding spots and basking areas. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Spice](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spice): This human use trait indicates species from which spices are derived, used for flavoring, preserving food, or as aromatic agents. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't eat anything you find in nature without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify mastic? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is mastic? 100-500 cm ### How wide does mastic spread? 100-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on mastic? 0.1-0.3 cm ### When does mastic bloom? Spring ### Is mastic edible? Yes ### Is mastic toxic? None ### What is mastic's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Cabrera Archipelago National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cabrera-archipelago-national-park) — Spain, ES · National Park - [Mondragó Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mondrago-natural-park) — Illes Balears, ES · Park - [Laguna de Zóñar Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/laguna-de-zonar-nature-reserve) — Andalucía, ES · Park - [Parc Natural de l’Albufera, Valencia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albufera-natural-park-valencia) — Comunitat Valenciana, ES · Park - [Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas and Peña del Águila Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/calblanque-regional-park) — Región de Murcia, ES · Park - [Vendicari Wildlife Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/vendicari-wildlife-nature-reserve) — IT · Park [View all places to see mastic](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mastic) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Mastic: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mastic)